In many processing and computing systems, magnetic data storage devices, such as disk drives are utilized for storing data. A typical disk drive includes a spindle motor having a rotor for rotating one or more data disks having data storage surfaces, and an actuator for moving a head carrier arm that supports transducer (read/write) heads, radially across the data disks to write data to or read data from concentric data tracks on the data disk.
In the manufacturing of the disk drive, many components with high electrical sensitivities are fabricated and manufactured. Devices such as the heads, sliders, etc., have electrical sensitivities to electromagnetic interferences or electrostatic discharge that requires the manufacturing environment worker to exercise great caution in the manufacturing of these components. Components such as suspensions comprise of conductive materials which tend to have conductive traces that are typically supported by insulative materials to help reduce the potential for electrostatic discharge or electromagnetic interference. When the suspension or similar components come into contact with each other.
Several manufacturing techniques have been adopted to reduce the amount of electrostatic discharge that occurs as the hard disk drive components are manufactured and assembled in the manufacturing environment. Some of these techniques include requiring assembly workers to wear electrostatic straps when they move the hard disk drive components about the manufacturing environment. These electrostatic straps help conduct electrostatic charges away from the components to ground.
Other methods used in limiting electrostatic discharge have involved a temporary conduct that shunts the conductive traces, e.g., during the attachment of components to each other,
However, none of these techniques have been successful in substantially limiting electromagnetic interference at the material constitution level of these components. The techniques currently used are also cumbersome for the assembly floor workers as workers move about the assembly floor.
Therefore, what is need is a flexible way of component fabrication and manufacturing that permits static charges to be controllably dissipated from the materials used in the construction of these components such that the potential damage from electrostatic discharge or electromagnetic interference to electric components connected to such components is reduced.